the lost clans
by atlantian
Summary: their beloved clans destroyed, a group of kits and young apprentices try to find their way on their own, having to learn to work together, all the while seeking to revenge their clans fates and rebuild their lives as warriors. R


_Dedicated to the three orange tom-kits Louis, Clark, and William Shakespear(will), who would have been great warrior kitties if given the chance. As well to their tabby and black-and-silver-spotted brother and sister, Rhorrie and Sheba. Nightfall, kapugan, and 'little orange boy'._

Treeclan, fireclan, boulderclan, and snowclan are all mine! You can't have them. I do not, though, own warriors. That would be Erin Hunter, I believe. I wrote this before I even knew about fanfic.

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Thunderkit stood and stretched. Her mother sat outside of the nursery, watching Thunderkit's brother and sister, cedarkit and Whitekit, as they play fought. -cedarkit was a reddish-brown colored tom kit, and Whitekit was a mostly black she-cat kit, except for her tail and left back paw, which were white. Thunderkit was a dappled calico; she was black with splotches here and there, like most calicos, and a spotted white belly and white star on her forehead, and a ginger right forepaw. Her tail was black, except for some ginger at the end. But what earned her name was a ginger mark that looked like a thunderbolt that stretched across her left shoulder. Their mother, Meadowgrass, was black and white.- As thunderkit watched, she wondered how long it would be till they all would be made apprentices. Once a kit turned six moons old, it was made an apprentice to become a warrior. There were four clans all together; Treeclan, Fireclan, Snowclan, and Boulderclan. Thunderkit was of Treeclan.

Thunderkit shivered. Leafbare had barely ended; there was still a chill to the morning air. She walked out of the nursery and looked around the Treeclan camp. Across from the nursery was the Apprentice's den, a hollow tree stump that was partially under a bush, which provided a roof for the young cats that sheltered there. Through the dim entrance, a wide crack in the stump, thunderkit could see the shapes of two young apprentices talking excitedly about whatever they were going to do today. With a sigh, thunderkit wondered how long it would be before _she_ would be an apprentice. With an impatient huff, she turned to go back into the nursery.

"Hey Thunderkit!" Thunderkit whirled around just in time to see cedarkit leaping at her with a playful hiss. "Oof!"Thunderkit fell with a thud, and rolled away from the triumphant sagekit. Thunderkit let out a hiss of delight, and leaped at her attacker. She gripped his back, play-biting his neck. Cedarkit threw her off and swiped (claws sheathed) at her head. She dodged the attack and pounced on him, and they locked into a writhing tussle of fur. They separated, stopping to catch their breath. Then she heard her mother calling to them. "Thunderkit, cedarkit, don't go to far now. Silverclaw has just warned me of a fox sighting in the forest."Thunderkit realized with a jolt they had rolled all the way to the edge of the camp, half way through the entrance.

Cedarkit ran to their mother immediately, and Thunderkit was just about to follow when something red caught the corner of her eye. **Fox! **she thought immediately. She whirled around to see not a fox, but instead Flamefur, a reddish tom, Whitecloud, a long-haired white she-cat, and Blackpaw, a young black and white tom; Whitecloud's apprentice. Thunderkit dipped her head in greeting to the home-coming patrol.

"You shouldn't be so near the entrance by yourself, Thunderkit." Flamefur's eyes flashed briefly. "Boulderclan has been scented our territory again."

Thunderkit looked down, embarrassed ."I know, Flamefur. Sorry."

Flamefur looked at her thoughtfully. "You seem to be getting to be too big for the nursery. Youcould become an apprentice soon. You're certainly ready."

Thunderkit's eyes widened. "Do you really think so?" she asked, then added, "Or are you just saying that to cheer me up?"

Flamefur looked at her with a serious face. "I'm only saying that to cheer you up," the young warrior confirmed.

Thunderkit brightened. "Really? You really think I'll be an apprentice soon?" then she paused. "Wait. You **were** just being sarcastic, right?"

Flamefur let out an amused purr. "Yes. Now go to your mother."

Thunderkit turned and ran joyfully back to her mother, thoughts trailing happily to the future.

"Thunderkit, wake up!" thunderkit looked up drearly. Icy blue eyes stared back at her. "Icekit?" she yawned."What is it?" The silver she-cat, named Icekit, (one of thunderkits denmates) could barely contain her excitement. "Ripplestar wants to see us!" thunderkit leaped to her paws, suddenly wide awake. It had been three days since Flamefur had told her she might be an apprentice soon. Ripplestar was the leader of the clan. Why else would he have wanted too see them?Thunderkit followed Icekit out of the nursery and into the sunshine, where Ripplestar, Thunderkit's mother, and Silvercloud (Icekit's mother) sat waiting. Thunderkit dipped her head in respect to the dark brown treeclan leader, trying her best to look calm and mature.

But inside she was filled with excitement, wondering what it would be like to be an apprentice at last. Then ripplestar spoke. " Thunderkit, Icekit, your mothers tell me that you both have come to be around six moons of ageNo doubt you know what _that _means." he said, a touch of amusement to his voice. Then he turned to meadowgrass and silvercloud. " Your right, they do seem ready for apprenticeship." thunderkits heart leapt at the sound of the words. Ripplestar continued; " I'll announce it to the clan tomorrow morning. I have some things I need to do." "What about their mentors?" asked meadowgrass, glancing the group of warriors, who were now eating.

"I'm already fairly certain who they will be."he answered, then added; "make sure they're prepared for the ceremony."

Silvercloud nodded. "All right ripplestar, they will be." ripplestar nodded and left, his long, dark brown fur rippling with each movement. As soon as he was out of earshot, thunderkit leaped up. "We're going to become apprentices!" she purred happily, bouncing around her mother with excitement.

Icekit turned to her. "C'mon! Lets go see if we can figure out who our mentors will be."

"Okay."meowed the excited thunderkit. Then she paused. "mother, can I?" she asked, turning to meadowgrass.

"You may."she meowed. But then she added as they turned to go "but be back soon. You need to be well groomed for your apprenticeship." thunderkit and icekit both darted for where the warriors were eating. They skidded to a stop upon reaching their destination.

"I hear you two are going to become apprentices." both she-cats jumped and whirled around at the sound of the voice, fur standing on end. Barkfur, a dusty brown tom, sat behind them, an amused look on his face. "I know we said that we could be attacked at any moment, but honestly young kits, do you _really_ think that enemy warriors would be inquiring after your apprenticeship?"then he paused. A little twinkle lit in his eye. "And I am _terribly _sorry about nearly scaring you out of your fur."

Thunderkit felt a rush of indignation. "We were NOT"- she began, but the sound of a sharp yowl cut her short. All three cats whirled around to see a ginger tom tumble through the entrance to the clearing. His fur was matted with blood. "Gingerpelt! What happened? Where are Ashpelt and Shadowpelt?"someone called. Thunderkit turned to see silverclaw, the treeclan deputy, emerging from the crowd of cats that had gathered, ripplestar right behind her.

Gingerpelt fought for breath. "We were patrolling... along the...the Boulderclan boundaries. they.. they were in our territory...to many of them... need reinforcements. Going to attack ...camp!"with that he rolled over, unconscious. But he had said enough. Silverclaw sprang to action. "Quick! Mistypool, gather a group warriors to help shadowpelt and ashpelt. Get the kits and the elders into the nursery and send guards to protect it. Darkwood, help gingerpelt and get herbs ready. The rest of you, stay here and prepare to fight!"Only moments after the words came out of her mouth ashpelt, an ash-gray she-cat, and shadowpelt, a very dark gray tom (Ashpelt's brother), burst into the clearing, Ashpelt yowling "Boulderclan's about to attack! Get the kits in the den! Protect the kits!" thunderkit was wondering why Ashpelt was yelling specifically about kits when she felt something shove against her back. A strong and strange scent filled her nostrils, and though she hadn't been trained, she knew immediately what it was. Boulderclan warrior!

The she-cat tried to grip her jaws around Thunderkit's small body, but before she could do so the weight was suddenly lifted. A flash of red fur. Flamefur! He lunged at the black she-cat, ears flattened against his head, his claws and fangs bared. Behind him he yelled "Thunderkit! Get back to the nursery!" Thunderkit turned and bolted. The camp was now filled with fighting cats. She spotted Icekit running for the nursery, and raced up beside her. Out of the corner of her eye she could see the black she-cat heading for them, breaking into a run. Where was Flamefur? Through the blur of fighting cats, thunderkit could see the nursery. A boulderclan cat was reaching in, claws extended, and thunderkit saw him start to try to pull something out. A flash of a white tail. Whitekit! Thunderkit raced ahead, and without even bothering to _consider _the fact that she was only just a kit, she lunged at the enemy warrior, teeth bared. The dark-brown tom whirled on the new attacker, forgetting about whitekit, who scrambled to the back of the den. Thunderkit suddenly realized how big the tom was, unusual for a boulderclan cat who, though there were many, were usually somewhat small. She crashed into him, almost knocking him over. He regained his balance and swiped at her head with sheathed claws. The force of the blow sent her rolling. She lifted her just in time to see him lunging for her, and without even thinking she swiped out at him with all her might. The blow hit square across his nose. He yowled in pain, and for a brief moment he was distracted. She bolted for the entrance to the nursery, making it through just as his paws fell upon where she had been only a second before. Once inside she realized how light it was. Icekit, whitekit, and four younger kits named dapplekit, sagekit, Emberkit, and Skykit were huddling in a corner, a terrified look on there faces.

There were gaps in the surrounding bush wall where the enemy had tried to get in. But what was disturbing was that with one hole, it seemed they actually did. Seeing Thunderkit, Icekit raced up. "Thunderkit! I saw you fighting that tom out there, but there were enemy warriors trying to get into the nursery on the side, so I ran to help these ones."she shivered. "Thunderkit, they've got Frostkit! I don't know why, but this black she-cat just snatched her and was off running. W-why would they want kits?"

Thunderkit shivered, thinking of Ashpelt's desperate warning: '_Protect the kits!'. _Thunderkit suddenly noticed something amiss inthe nursery. Red-brown fur flashed through her mind. "Cedarkit! Where is he?" icekit's eyes flashed urgently. "That's what I was about to tell you. When the black cat took frostkit, he ran after her." thunderkit felt her heart sink at these words. Cedarkit was very brave and pretty tough, but there was no way he could defeat a full-grown warrior.

She turned to icekit with a look of determination on her face. "Stay here, and protect them with all you've got."

Icekit's eyes widened. "Why? where are you-" ignoring her, thunderkit narrowed her eyes and raced out of the nursery, and for the first time in her life she raced into the forest without anyone but the enemy behind her.

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review, tell me how you liky! i might be a while in updating, but reviews tend to spur me on to update fast!


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